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Aldi supermarket tycoons top German rich list

Germany's super-rich are wealthier than ever, led by the founders of discount supermarket chain Aldi, according to a ranking by the country's Manager magazine published on Monday.

"Never before were Germany's super-rich richer than today, never before have there been so many billionaires," who numbered a record 135, said the magazine's annual top-500 rich list for Europe's biggest economy.

The combined wealth of Germany's top 100 billionaires rose by 5.2 per cent in the past 12 months to 336.6 billion euros ($485.3 billion) - topping the previous record of 324.6 billion euros from 2008, as the world economic crisis started to hit.

At the top of the list were the founders of discount supermarket chains that rely on the thriftiness of many of their compatriots.

Aldi co-founder Karl Albrecht, who is 93 and lives out of the public eye, had an estimated fortune of 17.8 billion euros, making him "the longest reigning richest person of any country", said the magazine.

Forbes magazine's rich list puts him at number 18 worldwide.

At second place on the Manager magazine list with 16 billion euros were the families of Theo Albrecht Jnr and his late brother Berthold, co-owners of the separate company Aldi Nord, which also owns Trader Joe's in the United States.

Placed third with 13 billion euros was Dieter Schwarz, the owner of Aldi's national and international rival chain Lidl as well as the Kaufland chain.

Other names in the top 500 included the founder of software giant SAP, Hasso Plattner, with 6.2 billion euros, the head of toy company Playmobil, Horst Brandstaetter, with 1.35 billion and former Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher with 650 million euros.

The magazine compiles the list by estimating the value of individuals' capital and shares as well as property, art and other holdings.